Manipulator



' e sheets-sheet 1 l. D. THOMAS ET AL MANIPULATOR l Filed April 1l. 1921Nov. 27 192.3.

Nov.. 2v, 1923. 1,475,728

i. D. THDMAS ET AL.

MANIPULATOR Filed April ll. 1921 heats-Sheet 2 Si? J F5 l\ Y Nav., 27,1923. 1,475,728

l. D. THOMAS ET Al.

MANIPULATOR Filed April 1l 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 27, 1923.

g. D. THoMAs ET AL -MANIPULATOR Filed April ll 1921 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nw.27, 1923. Y 1,475,728v

I. D. THQMAS ET AL MANI PULATOR Filed Apr-Ail ll, 1921 6 Sheets-Sheet 5fun/isf bmg,

Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES 1,475,728 PATENT OFFICE.

IVOR D. THOMAS AND PAUL H. DOUGLAS, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO,ASSIGNORS TO THE WELLMAN-SEAVER-MORGAN COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ACORPORA- TION OF OHIO.

MANIPULATOR.

Application filed April 11, 1921.` Serial No. 460,372.

To a-ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, Ivor. D. THOMAS and PAUL H. DOUGLAS, citizens ofthe United States, and residents, respectively, of Cleveland Heights, inthe county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, and Cleveland Heights, in thecounty of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Manipulators, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to manipulators, adapted particularly formanipulating ingots.

The principal object of the invention is to provide improved andsimplified means for raising and lowering the gripping unit and theparts carried by and movable with it. Further the invention aims toprovide improved means for permitting -the gripping unit to yield underthe action of the forging dies of the press, both vertically andlongitudinally so that no undue stresses created by the action ofthe'press will be transmitted to the frame-work of the manipulator.

According to the presentv invention, the raising or lowering of thegripping unit is accomplished through the medium of a weight or weightedmember preferably in the form of a pivoted walking beam, This walkingbeam is provided with a counterbalance weight which in the preferred`construction is movable longitudinally thereof for the purpose ofoverbalancing the gripping unit, the fra-me which supports it, and thework carried by the gripping unit, and provision is made for relievingthe balanced load produced by the walking beam and its counterweight topermit the lifted parts to be lowered.

The invention may be further brieiiy summarized as consisting in certainnovel details of construction, and combinations and arrangements ofparts which will be described in the specification and pointed out inthe appended claims.

' Though the principal features of the invention can be carried out innumerous specifically different ways, and though the invention may beutilized to advantage in a manipulator of the crane type, as well as ofthe floor type, in the drawings we have lshown one embodiment of theinvention applied to a manipulator of the iioor type, in which Fig. l isa side view of the manipulator; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view ofthe same on a reduced scale, showing the track upon which the base orlower carriage, in this instance in the form of a turntable, is adaptedto travel; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the principal parts ofthe manipulator including the carriage `which in the embodiment of theinvention herein illustrated is movable across the turntable, thiscarriage carrying the gripping unit and other lifted parts as well asthe counterb'alancing mechanism,^a portion of the latter being brokenaway; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the carriage of Fig. 3, the same beingshown on an enlarged scale, and the forward part of the frame of thecarriage being in horizontal section; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of thewalking beam and the parts supported by it; Fig. 6 is a longitudinalsectional view of the same; Fig. 7 is a front end'view of the same, theleft half being in section along the line 7*7 of Fig. 6, and the righthalf in section along the line 7a-7a of the same ligure; Fig. 8 is aside view of the principal vertically movable parts which at the bottomcarry the gripping unit and at the top are adapted to be connected tothe walking beam; Fig'. 9 is a front view of the top portion of thesame; Fig. l0 is a similar view of the bottom portion of the same; andFig. 11 is a top plan view of the swinging frame in which themanipulator spindle is liournaled.

Referring now to the drawings, and iirst to Figs. 1 and 2, it will beobserved that in the embodiment of the invention here shown` themanipulator as a whole includes a carriage in the form of a turntable10, which is provided with a central pivot bearing 1l, shown in Fig. 2,and is adapted to be rotated on a circular track 12, by suitablepropelling means with which the turntable will be provided, not hereshown in detail, but indicated at 12a inv Fig. l. The turntable 10 iscomposed of two end frames 13-13, having track wheels 14 adapted totravel on the circular track 12. Likewise the turntable includes twoparallel girders 15, extending between the end frames, and provided atthe top with rails 16, along which the manipulator proper is adapted totravel.

It is proposed, with the manipulator proper mounted on and movablelongitudinally of a carrier in. the form of a turntable as here shown,that the ingot heating furnaces and forging press be so located thatwith the circular movements of the turntable, and with the movement ofthe manipulator proper, longitudinally thereof, there is a sufficientrange of movement for the gripping mechanism to enable the ingot to bepicked up at the furnace and conveyed therefrom to the forging press.However, the principal features of the invention are not limited to amanipulator of the floor type, as they may be embodied in a manipulatorof the crane type. Furthermore, we wish to make clear the fact that acarrier in the form of a turntable is not a necessary part of theinvention, even when applied to a manipulator of the floor type, for theinvention would have utility in a manipulator adapted to be supportedand arranged to travel otherwise than on movable rails such as hereshown provided on the carrier or turntable l0.

What has been referred to as' the manipulator proper, includes acarriage composed in part of a frame 17, formed principally ofstructural material, and provided with wheels 18, which in this instancetravel along the rails 16 of the turntable. The carriage propellingmeans, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, consists of a motor 19, supported onthe frame 17, and geared to a transverse shaft 20, which in turn isgeared to short axles carrying two of the track wheels 18 (see Fig. 4).

At the front of the frame 17 there is an upright portion 21, havingvertical guideways formed by pairs of opposing rails 22 (see Fig. 4) inwhich is guided for vertical movement a triangularly shaped frame 23(see Fig. 8) having flanged wheels 24 which engage the guide rails 22.As will be explained subsequently, this frame is connected to andsuspended from a p-ivoted walking beam, shortly to be referred to.

The lower part of this vertically movable frame carries the ingotgripping unit, and in this instance the spindle 25 of the gripping unit(see particlarly Fig. 3) is journaled in valigned bearings 26 and 27 ofa casting 28, shown in detail in Figs. 8, 10 and 11. This casting is notfixed with reference to the frame 23, but in accordance with animportant part of the invention is suspended from the frame by two pairsof parallel links 29, the upper ends of the links being suspended fromthe frame 23 by being pivotally mounted on cross-pins or shafts 30, andextending down along o)- posite sides of the casting 28, and at theirlower ends being pivotally connected to the lower front and lower rearportions of the casting through the medium of pins 31. These linksprovide in eect a swinging cradle for the gripping unit, and permit thelatter to yield in an inward or rearward direction as the forging iselongated in the press. This relieves the parts of the manipulator whichdirectly or indirectly support the gripping unit of all stressesincident to the elongation of the ingot,

The gripping unit is provided with the customary appurtenances forgripping, releasing and turning the ingot, and though the details of thegripping mechanism form no part of the present invention, it may bementioned that the spindle turning mechanism is here shown mounteddirectly on the casting 28, this mechanism including a motor 32,connected by speed reducing gearing 33 to a gear 34 surrounding andsecured to the spindle 25. Furthermore, the spindle will be provided atits forward end with a suitable tong head 35 carrying grip ping jaws ortongs 36, adapted to be operated by a shaft 37, extending centrallythrough the spindle 25, and adapted to be moved endwise of the spindleby an air motor supported at the rear end of the spindle and adapted tobe rotated therewith. As shown in Fig. 3, the air motor includes apiston 38 movable back and forth in an air cylinder 39 to which air issupplied by piping 40 from a reservoir 41 on the rear end of thecarriage frame 17, and adapted to be supplied with air by a suitablecompressor, not shown.

Pivoted to the top of the frame 17 of the manipulator proper, by meansof a transverse pin 42, is a walking beam 43, which in this instance isin the form of an elongated or rectangular frame, formed chiefly ofstructural material. The front end of the walking beam extends over thevertical vguideways formed by the rails 22 at the forward dportion ofthe frame 17, and it is connecte to the top of the vertically movableframe 23 by a pair of links 44, which at their upper ends are Yconnectedto the front end of the walking beam by a cross pin 45, and at theirlower ends are connected to the frame 23 by means of a. cross pin orshaft 46 on which the two upper vertically movable guide rollers 24 aremounted. (see particularly Figs. 8 and 9).

The side portions of the walking beam 43, rearwardly of the pivot pin 42are provided with tracks 47 along which is adapted to travel acounterweight in the form of a trolley, including a frame or body 48,carrying flanged wheels 49 engaging the tracks 47 of the walking beam.

Provision is made for shifting the counterweight along the walking beamso as to overbalance the vertically movable parts including thegripping` mechanism and its load or the ingot, irrespective of theweight of the latter, and provision is made also for rocking the walkingbeam so. as to overcome the unbalanced load yproduced by the walkingbeam and its counterweight to enable about the two parts of the drum 61.Simithe gripping unit and ingot to be lowered. These results may beaccomplished in different ways and by mechanisms variously mounted andco-ordinated. In this instance, one motor is utilized both for shiftingthe counterweight to overbalance the vertically movable parts connectedto the walking beam, and also for the purpose of lowering the verticallymovable parts when once the counterweight has been set at a given pointto properly overbalance any particular load, which it is understood,will vary with the weight of the ingot supported by the grippingmechanism, and in this case the motor for these purposes is mounted onthe counterweight. However, it is not essential that the result beaccomplished by a single motor or that the motor be mounted on thecounterweight. Furthermore, we do not desire the invention in its broadaspects to be coniined to an adjustable counterweight, for while thecounterweight is preferably adjustable or movable on the walking beamfor the purpose of conserving' power of operation, the counterweightmight be stationary, in which event it would be set to overbalance theheaviest load handled.

The motor for shifting the counterweight on the walking beam, and forrocking the walking beam to lower the load supported by it, is shown at50, the motor being in this instance mounted on an extension 48 of thecounterweight frame or body. This motor is connected by reducing gearing51 ,to a shaft 52, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6, and this shaftin turn is adapted to be connected by a clutch 53 to a second shaft 54aligned with it. The front shaft is adapted through the medium of wormand worm wheel gearing 55 enclosed in a case 56, to drive a two-partdrum 57 mounted on a shaft 58, and the rear shaft 54 is adapted, throughthe medium of worm and worm wheel gearing- 59 enclosed in a case 60, todrive a two-part drum 61 mounted on a shaft 61a, both shafts beingsuitably journaled in the body or frame 48 of the counterweight.

found in the same direction on the two parts of the drum 57 are twocables 62 which extend from the drums forwardly along the walking beam,and after passing about sheaves 63 on thefront cross pin lor shaft 45 ofthe walking beam, these cables extend downwardly and are connected byspring shock absorbers 64 to the relatively fixed upright port-ion 21 ofthe frame of the carriage. I

The two parts of the rear drum 6l accommodate four cables, including tworear cables 64 and two front cables 65. The rear cables 64 are connectedto the rear end of thel walking beam by ,spring shock absorbers 66 andextend forwardly and pass one or more times larly the front cables areconnected to the front portion of the walking beam by spring shockabsorbers 67, and fromthe latter the cables extend rearwardly along thewalking beam and are wound onto the two parts of the rear drumoppositely with respect to the direction in which the rear cables 64 arewound thereon. All cables 62, 64 and 65 are dead-ended on the drums.

F rom the above it is obvious that by rotating the two-part drum 57 andthe two-part drum 61 in one direction (the clutch 53 then being in) thecables 62 unwind from drum 57, the cables 65 unwind from drum 61, andthe cables 64 are wound up on the drum 61. Obviously this moves thecounterweight rearwardly along the walking beam. Likewise when the drums57 and 61 are rotated in the reverse direction the cables 62 are woundup. on the drum 57, the cables 64 are unwoundvfrom drum 61, and thecables 65 are wound up on the drum 61. This moves the counterweightforwardly along the walking beam. Obviously the drum 61 and the two setsof cables 64 and 65 have the same effect as raclrand pinion, or othersuitable transmission mechanism for causing the counterweight to travelalong the walking beam. This is mentioned for the reason that any suchequivalent means may be utilized for shifting the counterweight on thewalking beam.

It will be obvious also, that when the clutch 58 is out, the effect ofthe rotation of the motor is to wind in or pay out the cables 62 only.Assuming that the direction of rotation of the motor is such as to windin on the cables 62, the effect of this is to increase the tension onthe cables` 62, the result of which is to elevate the rear end and lowerthe front end of the walking beam, in other words, to lower the loadhung from the front end of the walking beam.` and therefore to overcomethe unbalanced weight of the. walking beam and counterweight. Likewise`when the pull on. the cables 62 is decreased by rotatingr the drum 57 inthe opposite direction until the tension in the cables is the samepreviously, the walking' beam and its counterweight are restored totheir previous position, thereby elevating` Jche load on the walkingbeam. ln other words, by pulling in on these cables, the vertically.7movable parts including the ingot gripping' mechanism and the worksupported by it are lowered in precisely the same way as they would be,should the front end of the walking beam be pulled downward, or shouldthe rear end of the-walking beam be pulled upward. by cables connectedthereto, and by winding mechanisms supported wholly independently of thewalking beam. This also is mentioned for the reason `tlmatsome suchequivalent means for rocking the walking beam may be employed instead ofthat shown.

In the use of the manipulator, when an ingot of certain size and weightis supported by the gripping unit, the counterweight will be caused totravel back along the walking beam until the walking beam andcounterweight overbalance the load supported by the walking beam, andthe ingot can be supported at any given elevation, which will usuallydepend upon the height of the lower die of the forging press, bysuitably adjusting the tension of the cables 62. lll/Then once thecounterweight has been adjusted for given load to conserve power ofoperation, it is usually unnecessary to alter its position until theweight of the load is changed by the manipulator taking up an ingot ofsome different weight, and when the ingot is being forged in the press,as the upper die is lowered, the ingot, and in fact, the entiremechanism connected to the walking beam may move downward, the walkingbeam swinging on its pivot to accommodate this movement, but as s-oon asthe pressure created by the upper die is removed, the load on thewalking beam will immediately move upward to its previous position, thisbeing caused by the unbalanced weight of the counterweight.

rlhus by the parallel link connection between the gripping unit and thecasting in which it is supported, and by reason of the fact that theentire load, including the ingot, gripping unit, and the parts in whichthe gripping unit is mounted and supported are yieldingly supported bythe walking beam and its counterweight so that they may yield under theaction of the dies of the press, no undue stresses are transmitted tothe relatively stationary parts of the carriage. At the same time theingot can be lowered or elevated as may be necessary in transmitting itfrom one point to another, as for example, from the heating furnace tothe press by pulling in or paying out the cable 62, the ingot and theparts associated with it being lowered on pulling in the cables 62, andbeing automatically elevated by the unbalanced weight of the walkingbeam and its counterweight as the. cables 62 are paid out, or as thetension thereof is decreased.

lle have illustrated simply the preferred construction wherein thegripping unit or ram is suspended by the parallel links, and bodilymovable in a vertical direction. However, we do not wish our inventionconfined to a construction employing both the link suspension featureand the feature of overbalancing the ram and its load through the mediumof a pivoted walking beam or equivalent device, for each of thesefeatures could be employed advantageously without the other.Furthermore, we do not regard it essential as far as the overbalancingfeature is concerned, that the ram be raised and lowered bodily, for theram might be otherwise mounted to permit it and its load to be normallyoverbalanced, and to permit the load to be raised and lowered.

I-Iaving described our invention, we claim:

1. In a manipulator, a movable member or carriage, a gripping unitcomprising gripping members and a supporting portion extendingrearwardly therefrom, and supporting means for the gripping unitincluding a plurality of links on the lower ends of which the grippingunit is hung from the carriage, said links being spaced lengthwise ofthe supporting portion, said links being capable of a swinging movementto permit a yielding of the gripping unit in an endwise direction.

2. In a manipulator, a movable frame or carriage, a gripping unit, asupporting member for the gripping unit mounted for vertical movement inthe frame or carriage, and a plurality of links each connected at theirupper ends to the supporting member and at their lower ends to thegripping unit, said links being spaced longitudinally with respect tothe longitudinal axis of the gripping unit and capable of swinging inplanes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the gripping unit.

3. In a manipulator, a movable frame or carriage, a gripping unitcomprising a spindle rotatable about its axis, and carrying grippingmembers, spaced bearing members in which the spindle is journaled, andmeans for supporting said bearing members comprising a verticallymovable part carried by the frame or carriage, and two sets of links,each connected to one of said vertically movable parts and to saidbearing members, said links capable of swinging in planes parallel tothe axis of the spindle.

ll. In a manipulator, a movable frame or carriage, a. gripping unit,means for movably supporting the gripping unit comprising a walking beampivoted intermediate its ends to the carriage having a supportingconnection with the gripping unit and means for swinging said beam aboutthe pivot to raise or lower the gripping unit.

5. In a manipulator, a movable frame or carriage, a gripping unit, andmeans for movably supporting the gripping unit comprising a pivotedwalking beam movable with the carriage and having a supportingconnection with the gripping` unit and carrying a counterbalancingweight.

6. In a manipulator, a. movable frame or carriage, a gripping unit, andmeans for movably supporting the gripping unit comprising a pivotedwalking beam movable with the carriage and having a supportingconnection with the gripping unit land carryllO lng a counterbalancingweight adjustable longitudinally thereof.

7. In a manipulator, a movable frame or carriage, a gripping unitmovably mounted so that the work or load carried by it may be raised andlowered relatively to the frame or carriage, and means for overbalancingthe gripping unit and the work carried by it comprising a weightedpivoted member movable with the carriage having a supporting connectionwith the gripping unit, and means for rocking said member to impartvertical movement to the gripping unit.

8. In a manipulator, a movable frame or carriage, a gripping unitcapable of movement in a vertical plane with reference to the frame orcarriage, means for supporting the gripping unit comprising a pivotedmember movable with the carriage having at one side of its pivotal axisa supporting connection with the gripping unit, and having on theopposite side of its pivotal axis a weight for overbalancing thegripping unit and the load supported by it, and means for overcoming theoverbalancing eect of said weight so that the gripping unit may belowered.

9. In a manipulator, a movable frame or carriage, a gripping unitcapable of movement vertically with reference to the frame or carriage,means for supporting the, gripping unit comprising a pivoted membermovable with the carriage having at one side of its pivotal axis asupporting connection with the gripping unit, and having on the oppositeside of its pivotal axis a weight for overbalancing the gripping yunitand the load supported by it, means for overcoming the overhalancingeect of said weight so that the gripping unit may be lowered, said lastmentioned means comprising a cable connection between said pivotedmember and a relatively stationary part, and winding means for thecable.

10. In a manipulator, a frame or carriage, a gripping unit movable withthe carriage, a weight having a connection with the gripping unit fornormally overbalancing the gripping unit and its load, and means forlifting the weight to lower the gripping unit.

11. In a manipulator, a movable frame or carriage, a gripping yunitmovable with the carriage, means for supporting the gripping unit andits load so that the latter may be moved vertically, comprising apivoted member having a connection with the gripping unit and having acounterweight movable along the same. f

12. In a manipulator, a movable frame or carriage, a gripping unitmovable with the carriage, means for supporting the gripping unit andits load so that the load may be moved vertically, comprising a walkingbeam having a connection with the gripping ing beam, and means forrocking the walklng beam to overcome the overbalancing effect of thewalking beam and its counterweight on the gripping uni v 14. In amanipulator, a movable frame or carriage, a gripping unit movable withthe carriage, means for supporting the gripping unit and its load sothat the latter may be moved vertically, comprising a pivoted walkinbeam having an. operative connection with the gripping unit, and havinga carriage movable lengthwise thereof and serving as a counterweight tooverbalance the gripping unit and its load.

n a manipulator, a movable frame or carriage, a gripping unit movablewith the carriage, means for yieldingly supporting the gripping unit andits load so that the latter may be moved vertically, comprising apivoted walking beam having an operative supporting connection with -thegripping unit, and havin a carriage movable lengthwise thereof anserving as a'counterweight to overbalance the gripping unit and itsload, and means for shifting the carriage along the walking beam.

16. In a manipulator, a movable frame or carriage, a gripping unitmovable with the carriage, means for yieldingly supporting the grippingunit and its load so that the latter may be moved vertically, comprisinga pivoted walking beam having an operative supporting. connection withthe gripping unit, and havingV a carriage movable lengthwise thereof andserving as a counterweight to overbalance the gripping unit and itsload, and means carried b-y the carriage of the walking beam for causingit to travel lengthwise of the latter.

17. In a manipulator, a movable frame, a gripping unit movable with thecarriage, means for supporting it comprising a pivoted walking beamhaving a connection with the gripping unit and provided with a carriagewhich is movable along the walking beam and serves as a counterweigh-tto overbalance the weight of the gripping unit and its load, and meansfor overcoming the overbalancing effect of the walking beam and thecarriage to lower the gripping unit.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aix Our signatures.

IVOR D. THOMAS. PAUL II-I. DOUGLAS.

